“Miss Green, the results show that you have late-stage pancreatic cancer. The situation isn’t good for you. If you give up on treatment, you might have less than a month left. Are you sure you don’t want to receive treatment? Will your husband agree to it?”

“I’m sure that… he will.”

After I hung up, I surveyed the empty house and felt sadness fill every fiber of my heart.

I had thought that the pain I felt was due to my dear old friend, gastritis, but it was cancer.

I sighed and looked at the picture on the table.

The eighteen-year-old Zach Stone stared at me in the photo.

It had been years since, but I still remembered how the snow had fallen on my hair. At that time, Zach had smiled and asked whether this counted as us growing old together.

The happiness I once experienced made my mind wander.

I grew up with Zach, and we started dating when we were eighteen.

After we graduated from university, I moved into a basement with him and went through all sorts of hardships with him. I also watched him as he grew his company.

Later on, he gave me an expensive house and a car.

Since I loved dressing up, he also bought me the latest clothing lines from major brands and had them sent directly to our house.

I loved traveling too, so he often took time to travel with me.

Whenever our anniversaries rolled by, he would always prepare surprises for me.

When he learned that I was infertile, he even blamed himself for it.

Everyone had said that Zach loved me dearly.

However, that same man formed another family with his female secretary seven years after we got married.

He gave Monette Nelson, his secretary, a villa as their “love nest.”

In the past, Zach would always come home to me. But as time passed, he started staying out overnight.

He started treating Monette better, and his attitude toward me worsened.

I felt as if he would always frown whenever he saw me.

No longer wanting to think about this, I took a deep breath and started collecting the broken shards on the floor.

Zach had shattered a plate when I argued with him a few days ago.

It was our wedding anniversary that day, and I waited for him at home after I finished making dinner.

He had promised to come back right after work, but he only returned home at 2 a.m.

He had gone to keep Monette company again.

We argued fiercely, and Zach said something that made me give up on him completely.

“I need a child, Ninian.”

I ran away in a panic because I did not have the courage to listen to what else he had to say. Zach did not run after me either.

After staying at my old place for a week, I went to the hospital for a checkup because my stomach hurt too much.

As I stared at the dust on the floor, I knew that Zach had not come home for a few days.

While I continued picking up the shards, the medical report fell out of my pocket.

I stared at the paper and stopped moving.

Should I tell him?

Would he be sad if he learned that I was going to die?

I teared up, but I laughed at my thoughts.

He was no longer the same Zach I once knew. This Zach would probably just tell me that I deserved it.

With another deep breath, I continued collecting the shards.

Suddenly, the dark house became bright; someone had turned on the lights.

I squinted as I looked toward the door. Zach was standing there, and I saw a lipstick stain on his white collar.

As he stared at me, he raised an eyebrow in annoyance.

“Are you done with your tantrum?”

I just quietly stuffed the medical report back in my pocket.

Since I had not expected him to come back, I had gotten startled and accidentally cut myself.

I ran into the kitchen to wash the cut with cold water.

“Is this a new trick? Are you hurting yourself now? It seems I’ve really spoiled you, Ninian.”

Even though I no longer held any hope for him, his words still hurt me.

After all, Zach would never have spoken to me like that in the past.

He knew that I lacked a sense of security. Whenever we argued, he would patiently try to calm me down.

Sometimes, I would even run away from home, but he would never be frustrated by it. He would be able to find me every single time.

I would ask him why he was not angry, and he would always say, “I want to spoil you so that you’ll never leave my side.”

He would always give me the same answer over the past decade.

However, everything changed after Monette showed up.

I turned off the tap and took out the first aid kit to bandage my wound.

When I said nothing, Zach spoke gently. “Stop throwing a tantrum already, Ninian. I’m just putting up an act with Monette.

“Besides, all the other company presidents do this, and they still get along with their wives.

“After she gives birth, I’ll send her to another country—”

Just then, Zach’s phone rang. He cast a glance at it before heading into the living room.

“Mr. Stone, where are you? I’m so scared of being alone. Could you come here soon?”

I heard the delicate voice of a female. It was Monette.

Zach comforted her gently and gingerly. It was as if he were treating a valuable, fragile piece of treasure.

I said nothing. Once I dressed my wound, I continued putting away the food that had been on the table for a few days.

After Zach hung up, he started to leave.

“Zach,” I called out.

“What is it now?” He was really impatient. “Monette got sick today, and I have to go over. Stop being unreasonable.”

“Let’s get a divorce.”

“Have you lost your mind, Ninian?!” Zach scowled at me. “You cut yourself, and now, you’re asking for a divorce. What’s next? Are you going to die?”

“What if I told you that I was really about to die?” I asked softly, but he had already shut the door.

The large house sank into silence once again after the slam of the door faded away.

Pain traveled from my stomach through my entire body, and I quickly popped a painkiller into my mouth.

It hurt so much.

I wanted to tell Zach that I was truly going to die soon.

With trembling hands, I called him, but all I got was the busy ringtone.

I had been blocked.

I laughed and looked at the calendar on the wall. “Zach, this is the first day of our eternal parting.”

After resting for a few days, I contacted a recycler I knew to sell all of my clothes, handbags, and jewelry.

“Mrs. Stone, Mr. Stone really loves you. The new clothing lines of the season just arrived yesterday, and you’re already clearing them out of your closet?”

As I listened to her, I smiled.

I casually swiped to Monette’s Instagram and saw her newest post.

She had just posted it this morning. It showed the newest handbag of the season.

After I sent the recycler out, I asked Susan Yegler, my best friend, to check out a place.

I brought her to the suburbs and parked the car in front of a graveyard.

Susan stared at me in surprise.

I did not explain and just dragged her in.

The graveyard was on a mountain, and it even had a river. It was the first pick for many rich families as their final resting place.

The staff gave us an enthusiastic introduction to the place. After looking around, I picked a spot I liked and paid the deposit.

My parents passed away a few years ago, and I had no siblings.

Since no one was going to visit me after I died, I wanted to pick a good place for myself.

Over the years, Zach had earned a lot of money.

However, I pitied him since he had to work so hard. Hence, I never had the heart to spend the money he gave me. I always helped him save up.

As the end of my life drew nearer, I finally came around. At last, I was willing to spend his money, though it was in such a manner.

Seriously, pitying a man would just bring misfortune to one’s life.

The staff then asked me for the name of the grave owner.

“It’s for me.”

After that, I wrote my name on the form.

As everyone stared at me in shock and pity, I dragged Susan out of the graveyard.

The moment we got into the car, she started demanding answers. “What’s going on, Ninian?! Why are you picking a grave for yourself?!”

Susan was worried and scared.

She was terrified of losing me.

I could not help but think of Zach.

If he had been the one who came with me today, would he be scared too?

“Ninian!” Susan interrupted my thoughts.

“I have pancreatic cancer. The doctor says I have a month left.”

I looked outside and said it so calmly that it was as if I was talking about the weather.

I had thought about coming here alone, but I would be too pitiful if I had to face this terrifying time alone.

Besides, I needed Susan to help me take care of my funeral.

When I saw Susan tear up, I found myself feeling a little happy.

Look at that. I still had someone who cared about me.

However, my stomach twisted in pain immediately after. The dense, continuous waves of pain made me break out in cold sweat.

Susan wanted to bring me to the hospital, but I begged her to bring me back home instead.

Honestly, I was scared of being alone in the cold hospital.

I did not want to be trapped on a narrow bed either.

To prevent Susan from worrying, I tried my best to stay awake. But in the end, I still fainted from the pain.

In my daze, I heard Susan make a call. “Zach, you piece of trash! Come here right now!”

When Zach got home, Susan had already left.

I sat alone on the couch with a cup of warm water in my hands.

It had just been a few days, and I had already lost a lot of weight. My clothes, which once suited me, hung off my frame loosely.

Cancer was really torture.

“What are you trying to pull this time? Give it a rest already. Don’t you know that I’m busy?” Zach scowled.

I had nothing to say to that. The door swung open again, and Monette came in this time with a bag of fruit.

Before I could ask any questions, she said, “Mrs. Stone, I asked to come here. I heard that you fainted while I was out shopping with Mr. Stone. That’s why I decided to check on you too.”

So, he was actually just busy shopping with his mistress.

I scoffed.

“What’s with that attitude?!” Zach scowled further. “Ninian, when did you start becoming so rude and low-class?!”

“And your ‘class’ teaches you to cheat on your wife?” I glared at him coldly.

Zach fell silent.

“Don’t be mad, Mrs. Stone. It’s my fault. Don’t blame Mr. Stone,” Monette said in a choked-up voice, but I could see that smug look on her face. “If you don’t like me, I can just leave.”

In the next second, Zach roared, “I’m leaving with you! With that unreasonable woman around, this isn’t my home anymore!”

As I watched how exasperated he was, I remembered the first day we moved to this place.

He held my hand as we visited every part of the house.

At that time, we sat next to each other on the couch, and he said that home was wherever I was.

However, he said that I was no longer worthy of becoming his home.

I held my cup tightly and looked down as I tried my hardest not to cry.

Zach wanted to leave with Monette.

Suddenly, his phone rang. After a few seconds of hesitation, he went to the balcony.

Once she saw that Zach had walked far away, Monette relaxed as well.

She looked toward the vase on the table. “It’s lilies? I thought you liked daisies.”

I frowned. How did she know?

“Do you really think this is my first time here?” Monette chuckled and looked around. “I know your couch, kitchen, study, and even your bed more than you think I do.”

I felt a chill run down my spine, and I froze.

I had picked every single piece of furniture in the house carefully. But right then, they disgusted me so much that I wanted to puke.

“By the way, have you changed the chair in the study? It’s not very comfy—”

I could no longer bear listening to her and slapped her.

Monette’s face swelled up quickly.

She just chuckled, but in the next second, she started crying.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Stone. I won’t do it again.”

Immediately after, someone shoved me away. “Ninian, have you lost your mind?!”

Zach shielded Monette.

I opened my mouth, but I found myself unable to say anything.

Tears had finally blurred my vision, and I found that I could not connect this Zach with his eighteen-year-old self anymore.

Zach no longer spared me another glance. While holding Monette’s shoulder, he led her out.

“Zach, if I’m about to die, will you still treat me this way?”

He did not turn around. “If you’ll stop throwing these tantrums once you die, just die.”

I instantly lost all my strength and collapsed on the floor dejectedly.

Heh.

So, he wanted me dead so badly?

After that day, Zach never came back home.

I did not care about it either. I just made a checklist for my funeral.

I took a portrait of myself to put on my gravestone and bought the clothes I would be wearing in my coffin.

After a few days, the owner of the photography studio asked me to retrieve my photo.

When I saw my photo, I felt a well of complicated emotions.

Just as I was about to go back home, I spotted Zach and Monette in the corner.

“Why are you here? Were you following me?”

I did not want to argue with him anymore.

My stomach was hurting, and I just wanted to leave the place as soon as possible.

“Mr. Stone, it looks like Mrs. Stone was here to take photos.”

As Monette spoke, she tried to grab my photo, but I took a quick step backward.

“She doesn’t want us to see it.” Monette sounded sad, but she was implying something else. “Why are you being so mysterious? You’re making us think that you’re hiding a secret.”

Zach’s expression changed, and he looked at the photo.

“What exactly is it?”

The pain increased. I did not want to talk to them anymore, but Zach grabbed my wrist.

When he looked at me, his eyes were filled with disgust and suspicion.

However, I would no longer be hurt by those eyes.

“It’s nothing. It’s none of your business.”

I broke out of his grip, but Zach grabbed the side of the photo.

While we were fighting for it, the photo fell on the floor, and my portrait was revealed before everyone’s eyes.

“Why is it in black and white?”

Monette feigned surprise, but I saw her smiling.

I accepted my fate as I looked at the photo on the floor.

They still saw it in the end.

Would Zach regret how he treated me during my final days?

“Is this what you’ve been hiding?” I heard his cold and calm voice.

Zach’s expression was dark. I saw no traces of pain or regret on him.

“Are you serious this time?”

This man pitied me when I would so much as cough in the past. But he was currently thinking that I was fooling around with death.

The sadder fact was this: I had actually held out a shred of hope for him earlier.

I smiled. “Can’t I? I want to see you regret your actions.”

“Then, die.”

He shoved me and walked forward.

I could no longer stand and collapsed on the floor.

The passersby cried out in surprise, and Monette hurriedly helped me up.

She grabbed my arm and whispered into my ear, “See that? Even if you die, it’s useless. He no longer loves you.”

I used my final bit of strength to break away from her.

Zach saw this and called out to Monette coldly, “Ignore her. This is one of her old tricks. If she likes acting so much, let her.”

I went back home with the help of the strangers around me.

After taking a painkiller, the pain in my stomach went away bit by bit.

Feeling physically and emotionally exhausted, I lay down on the couch and covered my ears. In my ears, all I could hear was Zach telling me to die.

I remembered one winter in the past when I was sick.

The situation was so dire that the doctor made several announcements that I was in critical condition.

We had no money back then, so Zach went to his friends and family to ask for money. He was regarded with scorn, and they even insulted him.

I pitied him and did not want to become a burden. So, I stubbornly refused to take any medicine and refused to accept treatment as well.

Zach then knelt beside my bed and held my hand as he cried, “Please, Ninian. Take your medicine, okay?”

Fast forward to the present, and Zach wanted me dead more than anyone else.

I looked at the calendar on the wall. There were only a few days left until my one month was up.

Fortunately, he was about to have his wish.